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Bill

H 5245

An Act establishing a sick leave bank for Courtney Cochran, an employee of the Department of Children & Families (DCF)

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by John Marsi

Massachusetts legislature creates individualized sick leave bank for single DCF employee through special legislation, bypassing standard departmental leave policies.

Signed by the Governor, Chapter 82 of the Acts of 2026
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Bill Summary · H 5245

Legislative bill overview

This bill creates a special sick leave bank specifically for Courtney Cochran, an employee of the Department of Children & Families. The mechanism allows the employee to accumulate or access additional sick leave beyond standard departmental policies, typically through contributions from other employees or state reserves.

Why is this important

Sick leave banks are sometimes used to help employees facing catastrophic health situations maintain income during extended medical leave. This bill represents a direct legislative intervention into individual employment matters, raising questions about how such accommodations are typically granted and whether they should require full legislative action.

Potential points of contention

  • Precedent concerns: Establishing individual sick leave banks through legislation could create expectations for similar bills from other state employees, potentially burdening the legislature with numerous private employment matters
  • Equity and fairness: Other employees facing similar medical hardships may lack access to such individualized legislative solutions, raising fairness questions about whether this process is the appropriate mechanism
  • Process and transparency: The bill's rapid progression through committees and suspension of rules suggests limited public debate; details about Cochran's situation and why standard leave policies are insufficient are not publicly documented in the bill itself

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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